I have a buddy building a new house and the guys that did the drywall didnt use green board in the bathrooms. We live in iowa. Is it code to put greenboard in the bathrooms in iowa i cant seem to find it if there is
Drywall in bathroom
bathroomdrywall
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Best Answer
Yes most town's inspectors will require greenboard. As I have mentioned in other comments this is about 80% in 5-6 states. So more than likely it is a requirement.
And to clarify greenboard cannot be exposed in shower areas except for ceilings and above adult heights (6 feet). Maybe someone can find a real "rule" but this is what 30+ different inspectors have told me. So in most cases we have greenboard everywhere in bathroom except shower - unless it is a prebuilt fiberglass in which you have to have either greenboard or cement board (doesn't work on these well) behind - or nothing.
Does it do anything at all or server any purpose? In almost all cases no. It does offer a little bit more resistance but water is tricky. There are hardly any cases where you are right on the edge of having an issue. Either you messed up and have an issue or you don't. Greenboard might offer an extended period of no mold/water logging from extreme steam plus a poor paint job. But eventually it will fail exactly like regular "white" drywall and the mold and everything will be the same spots.
The key to a mold free, maintenance free bathroom is an oil based primer. You slap on two coats in a couple hours and it is basically a shell on the walls. Yes it stinks and yes it is toxic to a point but only until it dries. You can then do whatever you want on top (oil based paint or latex primer plus paint).